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For once in his life, Nick feels peaceful in someone's arms.
Everything seems different, even better under the soft glow of Italian sun. The balcony of Andy's vacation house faces the sea. Nick watches as the setting sun makes the water's surface glisten, grateful that he has them as the only witnesses to this moment. Andy holds him. Something so simple, but it makes Nick want to weep. He's not used to such gentleness from his lovers. There's no rush in the way Andy traces his body with just his fingertips, ghost touches chosen specifically to drive Nick mad. There was always rush back home, Nick relied on that sense of urgency and imminent danger to survive, after all.
Andy can murmur sweet nothings to Nick all day and all night and he often does. Whenever Nick is done with his work for the day, he crosses over to Andy's house as if Andy was a siren tempting him to enter. Andy might as well be a siren for all Nick cares.
Everything came together by accident. Long story short, Nick lost his previous job, Mark swept in with the rescue, the proposition was outlandish at best, but Mark left saying "think about it" and Nick did. A friend of a friend just got married. High off honeymoon endorphins, the couple just decided to go live in their vacation house in Italy for a few months. Just for the fun of it all, which is always a substantial enough reason for rich people. They were looking for someone to keep the house tidy and cook while they do whatever it is that rich newlyweds do on their extended honeymoon. Nick really ought to say no. Wouldn't that essentially make him an au pair? In the best case scenario, maybe. Au pair or not, it was not very high on his list of dream careers. Besides, he was sure he does not fit the criteria of who they were looking for. Not that he ever minded or was even bad at keeping a housekeeping, but people usually preferred to hire young women.
Mark assured him that they really didn't care who, as long as they would do the job. The temptation of a decent salary and accommodation and the prospect of getting to live abroad for a while eventually won. Nick could be the best housekeeper, au pair, cleaning lady and whoever else if he put his mind to it.
The couple, Kevin and Allison, are nice people. Nick can't really say anything less generic about them. They barely see each other and they can't ever seem to find a topic to discuss together. Which is fine by Nick. As long as there are no complaints, he doesn't care.
He got curious about the man living in the neighboring house. Nick pieced the crumbs of information he had together and eventually found himself on Andy's couch with Andy nearly crying his eyes out. Ironically, Andy was supposed to be here on honeymoon as well, but his engagement fell through. Andy still decided to go to Italy on his own, especially considering it was his father's vacation house and his father's money. Nick didn't judge. Everyone runs from something in their lives, it seems.
Casual hangouts started becoming less and less casual. One thing led to another, Nick felt well and truly infatuated with Andy. He still does. To the point he wonders if Andy is just an illusion sometimes. Maybe he's viewing their relationship through the lens of a fun summer fling. But Andy's so honest in everything he does for Nick it sometimes hurts to watch. Especially knowing they have to part ways eventually. Like pressing on a bruise.
Nick knows that what they created in those past few months was merely a mirage of safety and normalcy. Nevertheless, moments like this helped Nick feel slightly more like a real person. He wants more of them, no matter how irrational that desire might be. He's tired of constantly denying himself even the brief relief fantasizing of "normal" life brings.
Being held by someone you love is something real people do, not ghosts made to run away from what they are. Andy pulls him up for a kiss and Nick allows himself to indulge for once.